Just take a look in your backyard and you can find some fun treats that you can incorporate into your next dinner or tea time! If you are unsure if what you have is actually edible, there are plenty of sites online or even apps you can download to help you to confirm. Once you are certain that what you have is edible, have fun, Laura Ingalls Wilder style! Here are five wild foods that are easy to find and fun to consume!
Prickly Pear: Also called the Indian Fig, Prickly Pear Cactus, or Tuna, this plant grows throughout the US and can be found in sandy areas, the seashore, open or dry fields, the mountains, and the desert. This plant can be used in a couple of ways. The “pads” or prickly leaf part, can be cooked up as a vegetable. Taking out the prickers is tedious but doable! The fruit is also edible. It can be eaten directly from the plant or candied.
Elderberry: This can be found in the wild in the eastern part of the US, usually along roadsides. We have found it in the wild and grown it ourselves. The flower is usually used in the spring in fritters. The fruit is eaten by itself (my kids love it!) or can be turned into a jelly or added to desserts.
Dittany:This plant can be referred to as Stone Mint, Fever Plant, or Headache Tea. This plant is found all across the country in dry, rocky soil, the open woods, or in prairies. The leaves and flowers are usually dried and used as a tea for, you guessed it, headaches!
Lamb’s Quarters: This is also called Goosefoot, Pigweed, and Wild Spinach. This too is found throughout the US and is common along roadsides. We have this growing in our yard and I understand why it is called Wild Spinach because it is wonderful in salads or cooked in a skillet the same way that you would cook spinach. It is filled with Vitamin K and is easy to find in the summer and early fall.
Watercress: Also referred to as Cress, this plant is found near springs or spring-fed streams and ponds throughout the US. It’s leaves and stems are found and used throughout the year and is great raw in sandwiches or salads. It can also be cooked as a vegetable or in a soup.
Happy hunting and have fun!
